Tony Bennett - Rarities, Outtakes & Other Delights, Vol. 6 (Missing Duets)

NEW LINK (ADDED 26 JULY 2022)

The final volume in this series provides us with the Bennett duets that have been commercially issued but are missing from the "complete" box. I am not a big fan of Bennett's duets projects, but I have to admit that they're all pleasant. However, despite the commercial success of such recordings, too few of them are of any lasting musical value. This volume does NOT include anything from the new VIVA DUETS album as that falls out of the purview of the boxed set.

Anyway, the first track is a 1963 duet with Judy Garland of "I Left My Heart In San Francisco" from Judy's TV show and was issued by Columbia on the Target-exclusive edition of the first Bennett Duets CD. A video of this performance can be view HERE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpwQ5RzwC00

The boxed set includes a duet with Frank Sinatra of New York, New York that was recorded for Sinatra's first duets disc in 1993.  From 1988 we have here another duet, missing from the set, "The Lady Is A Tramp," recorded live at Bally's Atlantic City and taken from the same Target exclusive. Two more bonus tracks from the same edition are "I've Got the World on a String" with Diana Krall and "Steppin' Out with My Baby” with Michael Bublé, both recorded 2006, the Kral captured live at the Tanglewood Music Festival.

Two editions of Bennett’s DUETS: AN AMERICAN CLASSIC released outside the United States included exclusive bonus tracks unavailable anywhere else. The Asian release added a “If I Ruled the World” duet with Taiwanese vocalist Leehom Wang. The Australian edition included yet another version of  "Steppin' Out with My Baby,” this time with Aussie singer Delta Goodrem.

The arrangement used on “If I Ruled The World” sounds identical to the one on the Celine Dion duet which was part of the first DUETS album. The time duration is the same on each as well. The same can be said of “Steppin’ Out,” leading me to believe that Bennett and partner sang over a pre-recorded instrumental track. Unlike most of these duets, Bennett may not have even been in the same room as Ms. Goodrem or Mr. Wang.

Not on any of the “duets” albums but most certainly falling into this category is Bennett’s 1994 collaboration with Shawn Colvin from the soundtrack of IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU, issued by Columbia themselves yet missing from the big box nonetheless. Together they perform a rather delightful version of “Young At Heart.”

Taken off Billy Joel’s 2008 LIVE AT SHEA STADIUM recording is “New York State of Mind,” with Bennett and Joel shouting it out to more than 60,000 of their fellow New Yorkers. Bennett sounds enthusiastic, Joel sounds bored… it’s a good song though!

Moving on to DUETS II, Target Stores (USA retail chain) again put out an expanded version  with two extra “bonus” tracks that cannot be found on the big boxed set. “When You Wish Upon a Star“ pairs Bennett with child performer Jackie Evancho while country singer Brad Paisley duets  on “They Can't Take That Away From Me.“

Wrapping it up is an excerpt from another concert, this time from Andrea Bocelli’s CONCERTO, ONE NIGHT IN CENTRAL PARK on which  the opera singer shares “New York, New York” with Bennett.

1. I Left My Heart In San Francisco -with Judy Garland (rec. live July 30, 1963 TV performance)
2. The Lady Is A Tramp -with Frank Sinatra (rec. live at Bally’s September 3, 1988)
3. Young At Heart -with Shawn Colvin (rec. 1994)
4. I've Got the World on a String -with Diana Krall (rec. 2006 live at Tanglewood, MA)
5. Steppin' Out With My Baby -with Michael Bublé (rec. June 17, 2006)
6. If I Ruled the World  -with Leehom Wang (rec. 2006) 
7. Steppin' Out With My Baby  -with Delta Goodrum (rec. 2006) 
8. New York State of Mind -with Billy Joel (rec. 2008 live from Shea Stadium, NYC)
9. When You Wish Upon a Star -with Jackie Evancho (rec. 2011)
10. They Can't Take That Away From Me -with Brad Paisley (rec. 2011)
11. New York, New York -with Andrea Bocelli  (rec. live 2011 from Central Park, NYC)

All above ripped from CD sources unless otherwise indicated
Arrangers: Billy Byers (#2), Johnny Mandel (#3), John Oddo (#4), Lee Muskier (#5 & 7), Jorge Calandrelli (#6, 9, 10), Billy Joel (#8), unknown on #1 & 11.